Police stumped over body found in water tank

KUALA LUMPUR: There is a mystery brewing over the discovery of a decomposed body in a Bukit Damansara condominium water tank, as police are still puzzled over the strange nature of the death.

Post-mortem results on the body of Chuan Wan Chooi have come back with inconclusive results, although drowning has been ruled out as the cause of death as there was no water retention in the 43-year-old man’s lungs.

There were also no visible signs of injury or struggle on the body.

Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Muhammad Azlee Abdullah said officers were now hoping the toxicology report for traces of drugs and alcohol could shed more light on the matter.

“But it is going to take a few weeks. We have scrutinised the closed-circuit television (CCTV) video in the condominium complex to track the deceased’s movements and see what may have happened before that,” he said.

CCTV recordings show Chuan walking alone to the water tank, but so far police are unable to explain how he managed to get into the water tank when it was locked and the keys kept by security guards.

Chuan, who worked as an autopart salesman, was not a resident or worker at the condominium.

He also did not have any criminal record.

ACP Azlee said that checks into Chuan’s background had not revealed anything that would suggest foul play.

Chuan reportedly disappeared on May 7 and was found inside the water tank of the condominium at about 9pm on May 12.

The condominium management found his decomposed body in the tank after residents complained of strange-smelling water coming from their taps for several days.

KL police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Tajuddin Md Isa said police were still treating the case as a sudden death.